Seven Days to Live

You may know Peter Heller from NPR or his work for Outside magazine ... or the postapocalyptic Colorado described in his best-selling novel The Dog Stars ... or maybe his work for National Geographic Adventure or his book on Tibet's Tsangpo River. Or he may not be on your radar at all. In any case, the thinkers and doers among you will be well-served by moseying to Colorado College this evening, where Heller will talk about "his evolution from environmental journalism to serious fiction" as part of CC's Journalist-in-Residence series. It's free and starts at 7 in the Gates Common Room, third floor of Palmer Hall, 1025 N. Cascade Ave. (bit.ly/1zwEPuh). — Mary Jo Meade

7 Thursday

stage

In the realm of the psychological thriller, Ira Levin became royalty when he wrote Rosemary's Baby, the best-selling horror novel of the 1960s. He crafted plays in the same genre, but only two: Interlock, in 1958, and Veronica's Room, in 1973. Through May 16, the Funky Little Theater Company is staging 7 o'clock shows of the latter, at its 2109 Templeton Gap Road location. Tickets are $11 on Thursdays, $15 on Fridays and Saturdays (and on Monday, May 11). You'll get an old mansion, "dissolute caretakers" and living people dressing up as dead people ... all of which adds up to something Time Out Chicago has called "claustrophobically creepy." — Kirk Woundy

8 Friday

music

I'm no music aficionado, but having listened to Fantasia on Spotify lately, I've come away surprised at how intense it is. Opening number Toccata and Fugue in D Minor wraps up with this ferocious final note; Rite of Spring (that's the one with the dinosaurs) is brutal and primal; Night on Bald Mountain (with that badass demon) is eerie and perfectly weird. If any or all of the above sounds like a good time to you, catch the Colorado Springs Philharmonic as they play Disney Fantasia under the direction of conductor Josep Caballé-Domenech tonight and tomorrow at 8 at the Pikes Peak Center (190 S. Cascade Ave., csphilharmonic.org). Expect selections from both the 1940 film and Fantasia 2000, all screened with the live orchestra. Tickets run $19 to $63 with fees. — Edie Adelstein

9 Saturday

sports

It's a battle between Western Conference foes when the Portland Timbers 2 come to Sand Creek Stadium (6303 Barnes Road, switchbacksfc.com) to play the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at 7 tonight. It will be the third home game in the expansion franchise's short existence, which has begun with a 3-3-0 record. (The Timbers, meanwhile, are 3-3-1.) Playing at altitude hasn't been easy, Switchbacks goalie Devala Gorrick said in a recent interview: "The first week I was here I honestly almost passed out, I think, my first day of training." But now: "I actually feel really strong when we go to another city." Tickets start at $15, with an additional $5 for parking. — Bryce Crawford

10 Sunday

nature

Today marks Day 3 of the inaugural Pikes Peak Birding & Nature Festival (pikespeakbirdingandnaturefestival.org), a wide-ranging celebration and multi-subject learning opportunity complete with workshops, lectures, field trips and more. Many of the events required past registration, but there is still plenty of free fun. Visit the website for a complete schedule of events, such as the North Cheyenne Cañon Hummingbird Experience at Starsmore Discovery Center happening between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and various programming at Cheyenne Mountain State Park Saturday and today, including a 1 p.m. "Beyond a Shadow — Family Mystery Hike." — Matthew Schniper

11 Monday

drinks

During American Craft Beer Week, wallets and livers may be put to a stringent test. For instance, while you're doing beer trivia at Red Leg (4630 Forge Road, Suite B, redlegbrewingco.com) at 7 tonight, you could buy your $20 ticket for its beer, cheese and meat pairing from 6 to 8 p.m. tomorrow (they won't be sold at the door). And Pints & Plates — which starts tomorrow and runs through Thursday the 14th — features 13 local restaurants serving food specials paired with limited-run beers. Your options only expand from there. For more info, check out the insert guide to ACBW in this issue. Remember: Tip well, and always drive safe. — Griffin Swartzell

12 Tuesday

music

Lana Del Rey is an easy target for those who bemoan the insipidness of pop music. And they have their points, but it's hard to argue that Del Rey (or her team) has failed to create a truly compelling image. As put in an essay picked up on the Huffington Post: "She has sung about beat poetry, Lou Reed, and jazz collections, and her videos have the endearing appearance of home production juxtaposed with cinematically romantic themes and luxury. It's all about evoking the emotions associated with nostalgia." Nostalgia fuels about half of BuzzFeed's content, and Del Rey's show at 7:30 tonight at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (18300 W. Alameda Pkwy., Morrison, resale tickets start at $83) features ... wait for it ... Courtney Love opening. — Edie Adelstein